Chapter 21
As I entered his room, my gaze fell on the rumpled bedsheet, and I felt an instinctive urge to straighten it.
After peeking at the entrance, ensuring he wasn’t coming, I walked over to the bed, dusted the bedsheet off, and spread it back, neatly tucking in the sides.
Hearing his approaching footsteps, I quickly arranged the pillows on the headboard.
“Suman,” he called, his deep voice resonating through the chamber, and I turned to look at him striding toward me.
“What happened?” I asked softly, trying to keep my racing heart under control.
His eyes went toward the neatly made bed sheet.
“You did this?” he asked.
I nodded, unable to understand the emotions behind his voice.
He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why?”
His question made me frown in confusion. “Why not?” I replied.
He bit his lower lip and walked past me to sit on the edge of the bed. “Suman, there are so many people who can do this.”
His words made me inhale sharply. “Of course, there are. I don’t have a problem with your interrogation.”
I tried to explain, but he inhaled sharply. “Suman, there are better uses for you than serving food, making beds, and cooking.”
I gulped and nodded slightly. “So, are you implying that all homemakers, like women, wives, and mothers who support their families, have no value?”
I asked, and he shook his head. “No, but you shouldn’t do what others can do.”
I took a deep breath, crossed my arms over my chest, and asked, “And might I ask why?” Then I sat beside him on the bed.
“Because I don’t want you to. You’re my... wife,” he said slowly, causing me to lower my gaze and inhale deeply.
“Still, I will cook, make the bed, and do everything else a woman should do,” I said, looking into his eyes.
“But why? Bhabhi-sa does nothing. Aishwarya Bhabhi-sa focuses on her business, and now Bhabhi-sa understands you don’t have to do anything,” he said, and I shook my head.
“You know, their upbringing differed from mine. And even if they do nothing, that doesn’t mean they can’t. They simply don’t have the time. If given the chance, they’d love to do things for their husbands and families,” I explained.
“Yes, because they are their families,” he replied.
“And not mine?” I asked.
He stared at me momentarily, then said, “I didn’t mean that. You’re leading this conversation in a completely different direction.”
I moistened my lower lip with my tongue and asked, “Okay, what do you want to say?”
He took my hand in his.
“I don’t want you to feel scared all the time,” he replied, caressing my fingers. “You shouldn’t be constantly worried about what you have to do. Just do whatever you want; don’t overwork yourself. You’re already doing a lot.”
I sat silently, gulping.
“Kunwar-sa, you’re saying this because… because we have this relation. You wouldn’t have noticed me if that incident hadn’t occurred. This shift in feelings is only because we are bound to each other now.” I said
He shook his head.
“It’s not like that, Suman.” His shoulders sagged as he sighed.
“Yes, it is because we’re connected.” Inhaling deeply, he added, “If I say I don’t want you to work, it means I don’t want you to work. End of discussion.”
I gaped at him, for a moment, and I was too shocked and angry to speak.
“You can’t tell me I can’t work. That’s not your place,” I asserted, and he shook his head.
“I said, end of the discussion, Suman,” he stated, and I rose from the bed.
“I’m not done talking,” he gritted, and I shook my head.
“But I’m done talking,” I retorted, turning to him.
“You can go wherever you want; do I say anything? No. You flirt with Princess Rashmika right in front of me. Do I say anything? No. You can call me at night if you’d like; do I say anything?
No. You watch me change without my knowledge; do I say anything? No,”
He stared at me silently for a moment.
“And you do not even listen to me,” I said, clenching my fists, and he lowered his gaze.
“Alright, I’m sorry. Just do what you want; go ahead,”
I furrowed my brows. I opened my mouth to speak, but I couldn’t. It was impossible.
I looked at him, stunned, as he rose from the bed, yanked the bedsheet off, handed it to me, and said, “This is dirty.”
He departed, going to another part of the chamber.
I sighed in frustration, threw the bedsheet on his bed, and walked away.
He couldn’t determine what to do or what not to do simply because his feelings were shifting. Also, why did he think that staying home was derogatory? Making a home was one of the most challenging jobs. Raising children and having a peaceful home were areas where many struggled.
This palace was mine as much as his. I have worked here for the last four years, and even if I had become his wife under different circumstances, I would still work hard for the kingdom. He didn’t give me these lovely people, but this kingdom, and no work, was less important.
Every person has different work, and all contributions are commendable in their own way.
I exhaled deeply, walked out of his chamber, and returned to Nandani, where I found her feeding the baby princess.
I smiled, looking at her.
“How did it go?” she asked, caressing the baby’s head, and I nodded lightly.
“Good,”
She smiled and patted my hand when I sat beside her on the bed.
“So, let’s start again,” she said. “How did it go?”
I looked at her. “It’s bad. He wants me to stop working and gain weight,” I remarked, unsure of what else to do besides work.
“I know. Did you two fight about it?” she asked, and I explained everything.
“So, is this the first fight?” She asked, and I furrowed my brows.
“Why are you romanticising it? Are we a happy couple, and is the first fight a moment to be remembered?” I asked, but she said no.
“It’s a moment. I mean, the way you two got married looks like progress,” she said, pausing for a moment before asking, “By the way, who won?”
I shook my head, unable to believe her. “I don’t know,” I said, rising to my feet. “You’re not helping, Nandani,” I said, and walked away from there.
“Where are you going, by the way?” She asked from behind, and I turned to look at her.
“To see what’s for dinner because I’m the head maid of the palace,” I responded, leaving the chamber.
I didn’t realise that throughout my time in the kitchen, my mind was stuck on the moment he pulled the bedsheet off the mattress and handed it to me with a ‘sorry’.
Dinner was ready, and I looked after everyone’s plates until my gaze fell on his. I searched for everything he liked and looked at the attendant.
“Add jaggery to this one,”
Once she was done, she left to serve dinner to everyone.
I had dinner and was about to return to Nandani with her milk when I noticed an attendant coming back with a dinner plate.
I frowned. “What happened?”
“Kunwar Agastya is not in his chamber.”
I looked at the plate for a moment and asked, “Where is he?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. But he’s not in his chamber.”
“Okay.”
I walked back to my room after giving Nandani the milk.
I slipped under my comforter in my room, illuminated by the lamp’s soft light, peering at the walls. They were as bare as my life. There were no floral designs like those in the royal chambers.
I understood what he was trying to convey, but he failed to see that my room wasn’t a chamber; the walls lacked floral designs, and sunlight didn’t fall directly on them.
I didn’t have a kingdom to run alongside a king or a business to finance, either. All I had was extensive experience working in the kitchen and cleaning rooms, and I excelled in both areas.
I refused to abandon those tasks because I wasn’t being forced to do them. It felt like taking care of my family and the people around me.
I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes to catch some sleep.
I didn’t know where he had gone, but we had plans. He promised to take me out. Maybe he was angry with me, but why? He had no reason to be mad at me. I never asked him to change anything he liked to do.
A soft knock at my door jolted me out of my thoughts.
I looked at the door, wondering who it could be at such a late hour. However, dismissing the thought, I pushed aside the comforter and went to open the door.
I gasped at the sight of a tall figure dressed in black, with kohl lining his eyes and a black turban wrapped around his head.
I was startled but recognised him when I saw his green eyes illuminated by the lamp’s yellow glow.
“You… here?” I asked softly, quickly pulling him inside and locking the door behind us.
“What are you doing here? What if someone spots you? Men aren’t allowed here; these quarters are only for women,” I whispered, my heart hammering anxiously.
He held out the bag to me and replied, “We’re going out.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise as I furrowed my brows.
“Where were you? Why didn’t you have dinner?” I asked.
He stared at me momentarily before responding, “I thought you wouldn’t question me about anything.”
I gritted my teeth as he handed me the bag.
“Change,”
I lowered my gaze, opened the bag, and asked, “What is this?” as I found a pair of clothes. “These are men’s clothes,” I pointed out, and he nodded.
“Yes,” he replied, leaning back against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. “Since we’re going out alone, it’s quite unsafe for a woman to be outside at night. So, put these on.”
He made perfect sense to me, and I looked at him.
“Alright, wait outside,” I said, and he frowned.
“I believe you mentioned people might see me standing out there,” he said, making me gulp silently as I looked around. It was just one room, and I couldn’t hide anywhere.
“Alright, turn around. I can’t change in front of you,”
He chuckled softly, shaking his head.
“You had a problem with me watching you change before, so this time, I’ll watch you change with your knowledge,” he said, and my jaw dropped at his audacity. “Change,” he demanded shamelessly.